Stretch Mark Removal

Getting rid of stretch marks is something that most people want. There are so many products that promise stretch mark removal, but do any of them work? 90% of women and 40% of men have stretch marks, so like cellulite they are totally normal, but just about everyone wants them gone.

Causes of stretch marks
Stretch marks usually appear after rapid weight gain or weight loss, growth spurts, and pregnancy. Even excessive weight lifting can cause them. Genetics also play a role, so getting stretch marks can be hereditary. Stretch marks are a breakdown of the skin’s collagen and elastin, and surprisingly doctors are still unsure of the exact reason why stretch marks occur. Theories, though, include elevated stress hormones and other hormone changes, and well as the skin stretching beyond its capacity, or stretching too quickly.

Stretch mark products to avoid
So how do you get rid of stretch marks? It’s not easy to get rid of them, but there are some possible solutions to make them less noticeable. I’ve had white stretch marks on my hips since high school, and most of the time I don’t even notice them anymore, and I suspect it’s because I don’t tan anymore, and that has helped them blend into my currently pale skin.

Most over-the-counter products that claim they will fade stretch marks do not work at all, and they are a complete waste of money. Mederma, onion extract, aloe, cocoa butter, wheat germ oil, and other creams and oils will unfortunately not reduce stretch marks, despite their fanciful claims. Your skin may appear more hydrated, but that’s it. These products are a waste of money.

Ways to really get rid of or reduce stretch marks
If you have just developed stretch marks and are concerned about them, I would visit a Dermatologist right away because the faster you start on treatment, the better your end results. Fresh stretch marks are usually red, pink, or brown. Eventually they will fade to a white or silvery color. If you are breast feeding, though, most of your treatment options will be limited until you are finished nursing – your doctor can tell you what is and is not safe. A lot of doctors, however, will tell you that nothing can be done for stretch marks, so unfortunately you might end up spending money on treatments that are not effective. Ideally treatments would come with a money-back guarantee, but I doubt many doctors or medical spas offer this.

Retinoids
Topical retinoids like Retin-A and the generic Tretinoin can have some improvement on stretch marks. Your doctor will need to give you a prescription, and you can’t use retinoids when you are pregnant or nursing. Using retinoids on fresh stretch marks might give you the best results.

Chemical Peels and Glycolic Acid
Your Dermatologist may perform medical-grade chemical peels (with TCA or Glycolic Acid) to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Topical Vitamin C could also increase your collagen production and you could rotate between Vitamin C, Tretinoin and over the counter Glycolic Acid products at home. If you see any results, they probably won’t be that dramatic. Dermabrasion performed by a Dermatologist may also slightly help with textured stretch marks.

Lasers
There are several types of lasers that are currently being used to reduce the appearance of colored stretch marks. On pink, red and purple stretch marks, Dermatologists and Cosmetic Surgeons use V-Beam, and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light – not a true laser). Brown stretch marks may be treated with Q-switched lasers. What I haven’t been able to determine is if the colored stretch marks turn skin-colored after treatment, or if the laser just speeds up the fading process, thus making the stretch marks white. In that case, it seems sort of pointless since they will fade to white on their own, yet they would still be visible.

Fractional Lasers / Fraxel
If you have old stretch marks that have turned white or silverly, and if they are textured, then fractional lasers may give you a noticeable improvement. Fractional lasers haven’t been around for very long, so using them to treat stretch marks is still pretty new, but it’s a promising solution. From what I’ve read, some people see a good improvement, yet others don’t see any improvement. Fractional lasers, or any type of lasers, must be handled by doctors that are extremely skilled, so you will need to get referrals, check on the doctor’s credentials, and ask to see before and after pictures. You also might want to check with more than one doctor to compare their approach. Lasers aren’t cheap, but if you are really bothered by stretch marks, it may be worth it.

How celebrities remove their post-baby stretch marks
Tummy tucks can remove stretch marks on your stomach – the actual skin is surgically removed, along with the offending stretch marks. You will have a scar, but it’s usually low enough to be hidden under a bikini bottom. I have a feeling a lot of celebrities get tummy tucks to achieve the perfect post-baby body. This is major surgery, but it may be the most effective solution to remove stomach stretch marks, along with saggy, crepey, and flabby skin that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise.

Permanent makeup or cosmetic tattoos
An unusual approach to disguising stretch marks would be to have white stretch marks filled in with flesh-colored tattoo ink. I don’t know how well this works, and there’s always a possibility of making the stretch marks look worse, so you would need to find an excellent cosmetic tattoo artist that specializes in permanent makeup. I was unable to find before and after pictures of stretch mark cover up with permanent makeup, so this doesn’t seem to be a common thing. Regular tattoos can also disguise stretch marks, though. The ink might blur over the stretch mark, so your tattoo artist would need to be skilled to figure out how to incorporate this into the design. And of course this solution is only good if you prefer tattoos to stretch marks!

Unfortunately, even with the best procedures, a total removal of stretch marks is usually not possible. Some people will see no improvement, while others will see a decent improvement from various treatments. Do you have any stretch mark solutions? Do you have stretch marks but aren’t bothered by them? Finally, I wasn’t able to find any medical references to the use of silicone scar pads and sheets on stretch marks, but I do wonder if they would be effective at all on improving the texture of stretch marks, specifically on newly formed ones.

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